One More Chance To Die
by Gandalf3213
Summary: Xana seems to be targeting Odd a lot lately. The only thing the gang needs to know is why. Can they figure it out before one of Xana's plans succede?
1. Dreaming

**I don't own anything. 'Cept maybe this story.**

Odd couldn't sleep.

Maybe it wasn't his fault. Ulrich did snore an awful lot.

But it wasn't that. It was the fact that Xana had nearly killed him today-again.

It was the fifth time in five days.

Odd knew from experience that Xana almost never went after one person twice. Why choose now to start? So far, Odd had nearly:

1. drowned

2. been roasted alive

3. been bit by a poisonous spider

4. fallen off of a twenty story building

and today- Yumi had nearly killed him.

It was the last one that really shook him up. One can't have one of his best friends nearly kill him and just laugh it off. That was what the others had done- they'd taken it as a one-time incident. Odd knew that it wasn't.

He also remembered the stares. The over-protectiveness of the others. They were all convinced that Xana wouldn't stop until he killed Odd. The worst part about it was that they were probably right.

Jeremy's computer helped. But the alarm sounded more to him like the ringing of a bell at a wrestling match. A wrestling match of death. One more time that you had to fight for your life.

One more chance to die.

* * *

What'd you think of my first Code Lyoko fic?

**I hated it.**

I was asking the. Please give me the answer, 'kay guys? If you do, I might write more.


	2. Talking

**I no own Code Lyoko**

Odd was getting a serious de ja vou vibe

Maybe it was because he had already lived this day. Whatever.

"Hey Odd." Jeremy said when he sat down to breakfast.

"Hey!" Odd replied a little to enthusiastically. Hey, mine as well act like everything was fine.

Yumi sat down I looked her straight in the eye-he saw no Xana lurking there. She smiled at him before sitting next to Ulrich.

Jeremy leaned across the table, towards Ulrich. Just then, the alarm sounded in his computer. Odd groaned out loud. "Can't he leave us alone for a few minutes? This will be the third time I have to take Mrs. Jakell's English test!"

Jeremy looked over Odd to Ulrich and Yumi. "You guys tell him. I'm going to the factory to check on Ailita." (A/N: Ailita's not materialized yet.)He left.

Odd looked at his two remaining friends. "What? Tell me what?"

Yumi nervously shifted in her seat. Ulrich sighed. "Well Odd. Jeremy thinks…and we agree… that maybe you shouldn't take to many risks. Tone it down a little, you know? And stick by me, okay."

Odd cocked an eyebrow. "Why? Nobody else has to do that!"

"We know Odd." Yumi said sympathetically. "But yesterday was the fifth time this week that Xana went after you." So they had noticed. "And yesterday was a close call." You can say that again.

Ulrich jumped in. "We just don't want to see you get hurt. You can still fight-just let us help you."

Odd sighed. Yeah, sure. Just let me keep some of my dignity. Let me kill at least a couple of things."

Yumi smiled. "Whatever you say, Odd. Let's go. Jeremy might need some help."

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Yeah so review please! 


	3. Running

**I don't own Code Lyoko any more then you do.**

Three pairs of feet slapped across the cool pavement as their owners ran across the bridge. Suddenly, Ulrich threw out his arm, stopping his friends in their tracks. "Shh...I think I heard something."

A knife flew through the air, just inches from Odd's left ear. "What the..." Odd's words were forgotten when he felt an arm circle around his waist.

Ulrich turned around when he heard his friend's scream. "Odd!" he exclaimed, running back to his captured companion and calling back to Yumi. "Go back to Lyoko!" she obeyed without question.

Odd was fighting his attacker as hard as could. But to Ulrich, it was obvious that his fiend was fighting a losing battle.

Ulrich jumped on top of the mysterious attacker and started bashing his head in. The man simply reached up and threw Ulrich off his shoulder. The man picked up the limp form of Ulrich and carried him under one arm. He ran from the scene of the crime, carrying the two teens with him.

"Where have you been?" Jeremy demanded of Yumi when into the control room, breathless from the run.

"Odd's been attacked again!" she said, exhausted.

Jeremy furrowed his brow. "I was afraid of this. Odd takes to many risks!" he sighed. "Is Ulrich helping him?"

"Of course!" Yumi replied, then frowned. "I don't know how it's going to go though, that guy seemed pretty strong."

"I wonder why Xana has taken such a liking to Odd lately." Jeremy paused, puzzled, then shook his head. "That doesn't matter now. You should get to Lyoko straight away. That's the only thing that will help Odd and Ulrich!"

Yumi nodded. "Whatever you say." She left the room.

Jeremy looked at his computer, not really seeing the machine. Next to it was a picture of the four of them at Backside Beach. Odd was goofing off, as usual, and Yumi was aiming a blow at his head. Jeremy smiles a sad smile. "Why is it always you, Odd?" he whispered.

* * *

**Why is it always Odd?**

'cause he's cool, that's why.

**If he's cool, then why do you like killing him?**

Please ignore the idiot behind the curtain. Just review.


	4. Thinking

**Code Lyoko isn't mine**

Odd was exhausted.

No matter how many times he kicked or punched the guy, he still kept moving-fast. He and Ulrich were being carried farther and farther away from the school, the factory, anywhere. They were on a long dirt road leading to-where exactly? Odd had no idea.

Odd looked over at Ulrich, he was still out cold, but that was probably better then being awake anyway.

A sudden stop brought Odd out of his reverie. The man had stopped running. Odd looked up and immediately wished he hadn't. He was looking at a house. It was old, battered, and broken. The door was hanging off its hinges. The worst part was that they were in the middle of nowhere, miles from help of any kind.

Odd hoped that Yumi was on Lyoko.

They were going inside the house now. The man deposited the two boys on the floor. The man still had yet to say a word.

"Ulrich?" Odd shook his friend gently, knowing that this was one situation that you had to be conscious for. He was relieved beyond belief when he saw him twitch and groan. "Yeah, I feel exactly like that." Odd sympathized. "But you have to help me fight this maniac."

Ulrich sat up, holding his head in his hand. "God, what hit me?" he mumbled.

Odd's lips twitched upward momentarily, an action that might almost be interpreted as a smile. "Just some cement. But don't worry about your ego. Not many people win a battle against _that_." Ulrich started to chuckle, but stopped almost immediately; he was looking at something just over Odd's shoulder.

The man was advancing towards the adolescents, his eyes blazing red and in the center, pulsating like a second heartbeat, was Xana's symbol.

Meanwhile, Yumi and Ailita were running into difficulties of their own on Lyoko. They were outnumbered by at least two to one. "Ailita, I have a plan, but you'll have to run faster then you have ever run before." Yumi muttered.

"I can do it." The pink-haired girl assured her friend.

"Okay then, on the count of three-" a claw came down out of nowhere, landing just inches from Ailita's foot. "Three!" Yumi cried, not bothering with the other numbers.

Ailita ran past Yumi, dodging the crabs and speeding as fast as she could towards the tower off in the distance. Yumi sent her fan out, bringing down two crabs. Then a shot caught her in the back. She went down.

When Yumi materialized, she beat her hand against the floor.

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Thanks for all the kind reviews. And I would also appreciate your thoughts-yes you, the one who is reading this right now. I want to hear from you! 


	5. Doing

**Code Lyoko isn't mine. (nor is it yours, for that matter.)**

"Get behind me, Odd." Ulrich stepped in front of the younger boy and tried to protect him from the still advancing menace.

His attemps were futile.

The man threw Ulrich aside. He grabbed Odd by the collar of his shirt and lifted him high off the ground before throwing him across the room. Odd hit the wall opposite and slid down, barely conscious.

The man still wasn't finished. He walked slowly and diliberatly towards Odd, completely ignoring Ulrich. Odd threw up his arms, trying to protect himself. Before he coud scramble to his feet, the man stepped on his leg, breaking it cleanly in two.

Odd's cry of pain could probably be heard for miles around.

"Odd!" Ulrich passed by the man, now motionless, and knelt beside hs fallen companion. "Oh Odd." he whispered when he saw the mangleded leg. He reached out for the boy and put his arm around Odd, letting the blond cry into his shoulder. He knew the pain must be almost inbearible. "Hurry, Yumi."

Of course, Yumi was no longer on Lyoko, but Ailita was.

"I'm at the tower, Jeremy." she said, entering the cylander-shapped building.

"You'd better hurry, Ailita." jeremy's voice seemed to echo from everywhere at once. "We haven't ben able to reach Odd or Ulrich on their cell phones. I don't know what happened to them." Jeremy's voice, usually so calm, had a note of fear in it.

"Don't worry, I'm right here." Ailita walked over to the control consil and punched in the correct words. When i asked for the code, she typed LYOKO. "Tower deactivated." she annunced, stepping away as 0's and 1's started to fall from everywhere.

"Return to the past now." Jeremy bshed the enter button and the world was enviloped in a wonderful, pure white light.

Then there was nothing.

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I know, short and stupid. The next one will be better. 


	6. Hurting

**I no own this thingy-ma-bober**

Odd woke up-again. Only this time he didn't think about taking the test again. Odd was too usy thinking about the excrutioating pain in his leg. "Owww..." Odd cried out. His leg felt as if it were on fire and ice cold at the sae time.

Ulrich fell out of bed when he heard Odd's scream. "What? What!" he started scrambling around. When he saw Odd writhing in pain he was at his friend's side in an instant.

"Odd..." Ulrich reached out and touched the boy's shoulder. odd seemed oblivious to his presence. "Odd, what's wrong?" Ulrich was seriously worried. What if Odd had been morally injured in that encounter with Xana? The trip back in time wouldn't hav saved him.

"My leg...oww...Ulrich, it hurts so bad..." Odd wimpered, sounding much younger then fifteen.

Urich beant down ad carefully pulled Odd's arms away from his broken leg. He winced when he saw the mangled bones, turned at an impossible angle. One bone had jutted out of the skin and blood was seeping past it.

Ulrich's first thought was to go get the nurse. But how would he expain the injury? "Stay here, Odd, I'm going to get help" Odd nodded, tears spillin down his cheeks.

Ulrich started for the door, but before he got there it opened. Jeremy stepped into the room, carrying his laptop. "Ulrich, Odd, i think I know why-" he cut off when he saw Odd's pain. "Oh man, what happened?" Jeremy went over to Odd's side and carefully examined his leg.

"A guy broke his leg yesterday, but it should have healed when we returned to now." Ulrich explained quickly. "What went wrong? Is he going to be okay?" Ulrich's words spilled over before he even relized what he was saying.

"I dont know what went wrong. As for his being alright, that would depend...Ulrich, go get the nurse."

Ulrich obeyed and was out of the room in less then a second.

Jeremy's hands moved expertly up and down Odd's leg, trying to figure out eh extent of the damae. When his hands touched the protruding bone Odd arched his back in pain and made a hissing sound.

Jeremy pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Why do ou always have to be he one to get hurt, Odd. Youve made more trps to the hospital then the rest of us put together!" Jeremy tried to laugh, but it just wouldn't come. Jeremy hated ti see annything in pain, which is why he never went to Lyoko. But when he knew the thing directly, when he saw their pain up close and personal, to watch it be in agony was almost unbareable.

Jeremy touched the boy's face-it was wet and cold, dripping with sweat-he smoothed out the boy's blond hair. "Don't worry Odd, help is coming." Jeremy looked at the younger boy and hoped that Ulrich hurried.

* * *

**I like it. I really do.**

That's 'cause you wrote it.

**Yup, It's all coming together now.**

Whatever. Please review!


	7. Saying

**I don't own these charicters.**

Jeremy, Ulrich, and Yumi watched as the ambulance pulled away from the school. Yumi had showed up when she heard the sirens.

The threesome walked slowly up the stairs to their respective classrooms. None of them wanted to face the day for a third time, especially knowing that Odd was on his way to the hospital. Jeremy spoke first. "You know the reason Xana's doing this, don't you?" he continued without stopping, knowing that they had no clue what he was talking about. "It's because he's the piece. Like in that game we used to play when we were little-Janga? You know, with all the pieces and you had to take one block out of the tower." Jeremy was mostly speaking to himself now, but the other two were listening intently. "But there was always that one piece that you couldn't take out, or else the whole tower would fall."

Jeremy looked up at his friends. "Odd's that piece."

Yumi's eyes lit up with sudden comprehension. "You're right. You're absolutely right."

Ulrich nodded. If there was one person the little group couldn't survive without, it was Odd. He was the heartbeat of the team. And Xana knew it.

"We have to figure out where he's going to strike next!" Ulrich hit a nearby wall, ignoring the pain that immediately came in his arm.

Jeremy's face turned white. His laptop had just emitted a high noise. The alert that Xana was on the loose again. "I know where it is." He whispered. "The ambulance."

Yumi groaned. "The one that Odd's in? Are you sure?"

Jeremy nodded sagely. "Positive."

"Where's he getting all this power?" Ulrich mused.

Jeremy was already running towards the woods. "Who cares? We have to stop Xana, before he finds Odd."

With this ominous warning, the three friends raced for the woods.

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Reviews are welcome. 


	8. Saving

**I owns nothings.**

Ulrich veered off from Yumi and Jeremy. He ignored their cries of surprise and kept running, weaving through the forest paths. He _needed _to help Odd. He just hoped that Yumi would stay on Lyoko.

Ulrich vaulted over a low hedge and ran out into the street. A boy younger then he was riding a skateboard. Ulrich took the board, calling over his shoulder, "I'm sorry! I'll give it back! I promise!" He sped away before the boy even had a chance to notice him.

Ulrich sped as fast as he could in the direction of the dying ambulance siren. He heard it, even though he knew he was still about half a mile to a mile away from it. That only made him go faster.

Luckily, the traffic was heavy. Ulrich knew that the ambulance wouldn't be getting anywhere fast, even with the bonus of flashing red lights. Plus, he had a sneaking suspicion that that particular vehicle wasn't heading for the hospital.

Ulrich moved swiftly in and out lanes of cars. He was closer now. Only a quarter mile away. He was almost in sight of it...

He saw it.

The only problem was, there was a bridge between them. And it was going up. Fast. There was no way he'd get to Odd in time if he didn't make the bridge.

Using a burst of energy powered by two-thirds adrenaline and one-third fear, Ulrich rocketed through the last through lanes of traffic. As he was drawing nearer to the ever-widening gap, he closed his eyes, said a quick prayer, and let himself sail over the edge.

Ulrich seemed to hang in the air for a millisecond. He wanted to pull a "Yikes" sign out of his pocket, like in the Roadrunner cartoons. But he didn't have time. He was already over the gap.

And the ambulance was right in front of him.

_Everybody should experience this once in their lives. _Ulrich thought. It wasn't a happy event; far from it. But the rush of anxiety coupled with fear and pure exhaustion worked in the exact right way to make him go a hair faster then he had been going before.

Within seconds he was level with the ambulance.

This was going to be hard. Ulrich knew that. He had to keep propelling the skateboard while opening the door and getting ready to attack a person who was going to want to kill him. Oh yeah, that was hard.

But Ulrich did it. He had the door open, and was tempted to shout "ready or not, here I come!" but of course, didn't.

Because laying deathly still on a table was Odd. And he was surrounded by three guys, all carrying lethal-looking knives.

Ulrich lashed out with blind hatred. He back-handed one of the doctors, feeling a couple of teeth knock loose. Before the others had time to react, he had kicked one just below his double chin, hearing the satisfying 'crack' of the neck snapping back.

The third one rushed at Ulrich, brandishing the knife. With Ulrich's training , he was able to swat it away easily before giving the guy the best round house kick he could in the confined space.

As soon as he was sure his assailants weren't going to be attacking him anytime soon, Ulrich rushed over to Odd. Smoothing back his friends blond hair, he listened for signs of a breath. Nothing.

He felt for a pulse. Negative.

Ulrich beat his fist against the metal table and fell down, sobbing. _Why? How? _These were the only thoughts that Ulrich had space for in his mind. He needed to know why Odd wasn't breathing, and he needed to know now.

* * *

Reviews help me write. 


	9. Breathing

**I own nothing**

Yumi felll out of the sky with a small grunt. She looked around and saw Ailita, and started heading towards her. "We've got to get to the tower." She said urgently.

Ailita nodded. "It's in the forest region. Come on." They ran swiftly across the ground. Both thinking of the same thing. Ailita voiced both their opinions. "It's weird not having the boys here, isn't it?"

Yumi nodded, looking straight ahead. _What if Ulrich's hurt?_ She thought, then, unbidden- _What if Odd's dead?_

Ailita was looking at her. "Don't worry about Ulrich, Yumi, he's a great fighter. And Odd's a trooper, he'll get through it." A few seconds passed, "I hope."

The forest region was still out of sight, so the girls kept talking, looking around warily for monsters. "How is Odd? Jeremy just said that he was hurt. And that Xana took over the car that was bringing him to the hospital."

Yumi sighed. She really didn't want to be explaining this, but Ailita was helping to save Odd, she deserved to know. "Xana thinks that if he kills Odd, the whole team will crumble. He's attacking Odd over and over. I have no idea how he got so much power."

Ailita seemed to be thinking. Her pink head was tilted slightly to one side. "So he thinks that if Odd dies, you guys will fall apart? So he's trying to kill Odd?"

Yumi nodded sadly.

"That's sick." Both girls laughed. Ailita was usually so...proper. Calling somebody 'sick' just wasn't part of her character. It helped lighten the mood a bit. As the girls kept running, they came into view of the forest region. But Ailita had one last question.

"Is Odd going to die, Yumi?"

Yumi looked at Ailita and felt tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Virtual tears. Kind of funny, really. "I don't know, Ailita. I hope not."

* * *

Ulrich slammed his hand against the metal table. "Odd, don't leave me." He sobbed, keeping one hand on Odd's body. Then he heard a noise. It wasn't the men coming back into consciousness. It was his cell phone.

"Please be Jeremy." Ulrich whispered, putting the phone to his ear.

"What's going on their, Ulrich? Have you found Odd?" Jeremy's worried voice came in over the phone.

"He's not breathing, Jeremy! I don't know what to do!" Ulrich's voice came out as gasps and chokes. He couldn't stop crying.

Jeremy's voice was that of barely controlled panic and fear. "Listen to me, Ulrich. Breathe into his mouth. Three times. Then bang on his chest. And wait five seconds before doing it again.

Ulrich fought to get himself under control. "Anything else?"

There was a moment of second, then, "Yeah, Ulrich. Pray."

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Yeah, don't forget to pray. Or review. 


	10. Going

**I own nothing**

Ulrich could feel it working. He knew it in his heart. He kept pressing on Odd's chest and breathing into his mouth. And praying-praying a lot. A full five minutes later, Odd's eyes fluttered and his friend started coughing. Ulrich let out a whoop of joy.

"You're alive! Odd I thought...you looked so...and Xana...but you're alive." A babble of words escaped Ulrich's mouth and he hugged Odd long and hard. He heard Odd sobbing, but thought nothing of it. He figured to come back from the dead would be a joyful, painful experience.

After a few minutes, he remembered Jeremy. "Jeremy!" he sobbed and shouted at the same time. On the other end, Jeremy's pale face went paler. "What's happening? Is Odd..." his voice trailed off, unable to say the word DEAD.

"He's alive! He's breathing! Here-" Ulrich gave the phone to Odd, who managed to gasp. "I'm fine, Jeremy. Really."

Jeremy burst into tears. Through them, he managed to get out the words, "Get to factory...need help...so glad Odd all right."

The boys got the gist. Ulrich snapped the cell phone down and looked at Odd's leg, which was still broken. "Maybe...maybe if we went to Lyoko, it would be alright?" he asked.

Odd nodded "Your guess is as good as mine, but, you know, I can't exactly walk there."

Ulrich thought. He remembered where they were. "One second." He said. He climbed into the cab and with two solid punches, took out the driver. "Where are you going, sir?" Ulrich asked in mock-politeness as he got into the driver's seat.

Twenty minutes later, a rather banged-up ambulance made it to the entrance of the factory. Out of it immerged a dark haired boy who was half-carrying, half-dragging a blond boy. They went into the factory, straight down into its basement.

Ulrich practically through Odd into one of the golden chambers. "We're here, Jeremy!" he called.

"Ulrich, with Odd's leg, it would be an illogical move to go to Lyoko!" Jeremy argued.

Ulrich had no patience. "Just do it, Jeremy."

Jeremy obliged, within seconds, the boys were on Lyoko. "Odd?" Jeremy's voice came from everywhere and nowhere. "Your leg, how is it?"

The boy in question tried out his leg. "As good as new, I'd say. Hey, Jeremy, you been working on a program or something, because my leg's kinda sore." They both knew that you generally didn't feel anything on Lyoko.

"Err...no, Odd." Jeremy's voice was shaky.

"So, is that a good thing or a bad thing, Einstein?" Ulrich asked impatiently. The answer came almost immediately. "Definitely bad, Ulrich."


	11. Being

**I own nothing**

Jeremy stared at his screen, not wanting to believe what the array of numbers told him. But he had to. Jeremy drew in a great shuddering breath, "Guys? Uh…I think I found out why Odd's leg's been hurting."

Two sets of "why"'s called back to him. Jeremy **really** wished somebody else would do this.

"You remember, a couple months ago, when we thought we could materialize Ailita, but we ended up materializing Yumi instead?" a couple of yes's came back at him that time. Jeremy said nothing. It would only be a few seconds until one of them figured it out for themselves.

"Oh no." breathed somebody in Jeremy's ear. _Probably Ulrich._ He thought. "You mean that if Odd dies here-"

"I die in the real world." Somebody else finished in a whisper. Odd.

Jeremy sighed. "I am so sorry Odd. If there was some way I could take you out of there, you know I would, but the only ways out are dying or getting to the tower."

Silence. Nothing came from the speakers in his ear, then. "Okay, Jeremy, I give up. Where's the girls at and where's the tower?"'

Jeremy smiled.

Two minutes later, Odd and Ulrich were heading at top speed towards the Desert region. Ulrich was slightly ahead, and his sword was out. He wasn't taking any chances.

Both Odd and Ulrich ran faster them either Ailita or Yumi, and halfway to the desert region, they came across the girls. "What took you guy's so long?" Yumi kidded, smiling at Odd. "We had to get past a ton of monsters and stuff without you!"

Ulrich wasn't laughing. "You girls need to know something. Odd got messed up in the transfer. If he dies here, he'll die in the real world."

Ailita gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. Yumi looked startled, but managed not to say anything. She put a hand on Odd's shoulder, making his tail twitch. "Then you just can't die. You know, lately you've been more trouble then you're worth."

Odd smiled at her. For some reason, he had started to feel very tired. And he had lied to Ulrich and Jeremy. His leg didn't just hurt a little bit, it hurt more then he ever thought was possible, but he had to help. He had to fight.

"Okay, now that we've got all that settled, I suggest we head for the tower, so that we finish this once and for all." Odd loped off in the general direction of the tower after he said this, Ulrich on his heels, the girls slightly behind.

Odd knew that there was only one way for him to continue living, and that was to trust his friends, and to get to the tower.

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Only i know what's going to happen!

Oh...review, please!


	12. Failing

**I own it not**

Ulrich stayed in front of Odd, blocking him from view in case of monsters. He did this sub-consciously. Looking out for Odd was becoming a habit. He glanced over at his friend and noticed that he winced in pain every time his "broken" leg came down onto the ground.

"Odd!" Ulrich couldn't help yelling. God, this was so Odd. To be in pain and not tell anyone, and to make them believe that it was a not as bad as it really was.

Odd sighed, whispering to him out of the corner of his mouth, "Listen, I didn't want to worry the girls, but since you've already found out..."

Ulrich kept running, but made sure that they were far enough ahead of Yumi and Ailita that they wouldn't be able to hear what he said next, "Found out what, exactly?"

"That my leg is still broken, even here on Lyoko. It hurt like anything. I'm talking to you, too, Einstein, since I know you're listening. Just don't say anything that would make the girls swarm all over me." This small speech was punctuated by cringes of pain and even a small yelp near the end.

Ulrich, trying to lighten the mood, said in a normal voice, "You better watch out, Odd, you're becoming more and more like a cat every day."

Odd punched him on the shoulder.

"Watch out!" one of the girls screamed from behind. Probably Yumi.

Ulrich looked up just in time to see a claw descending towards him and Odd. He smashed into his friend in a football tackle, knocking him just out of reach. He looked up, ready to take on the crab, and gasped.

There were not only three crabs circling them, there were also at least six hornets, too. Ulrich called back over his shoulder, "Yumi! Take Ailita and get to the tower!" The tower was only about fifteen hundred yards away. "Me and Odd'll cover you!"

Yumi nodded, and started running. "I guess I get my old job back." Odd remarked lightly.

Ulrich turned to him. "And what would that be?"

Odd smiled a genuine smile. "Distraction. I get the bugs!" Odd leaped into the air, turning and firing arrows all around. Out of seven arrows, only two hit their target. "Man, I've **got** to work on my aim!" Odd said, shaking his head.

Ulrich, meanwhile, was deep in a battle with two of the crabs. His plan? To make them smash into each other. Did he think it was going to work? Absolutely.

'Cause, you know, these things are not the smartest beings on the planet, even if it was a virtual one.

"Hey, Odd, help me with this last one!" Ulrich called, not looking away from the last gigantic monster. He thought he heard, "Oh yeah, more distraction!" but he might have imagined it.

What he didn't imagine was the soft "thunk" that meant the sting of a bee had hit something coupled with an, "Odd!" from Jeremy.

Ulrich turned around, hoping that the crab wouldn't strike him when his back was turned. He saw Odd collapsed in a heap on the ground, doubled over in pain, with a bug hanging right behind him, poised to strike.

Two flashes of an angry Ulrich's sword finished that small threat off as the boy knelt down next to Odd. "How bad off is he, Jeremy?" Ulrich asked.

"Down to ten life points, Ulrich. One more hit is all he's got left."

Ulrich swore and kicked at a rock, making it fly fifty yards, then burst into tears.

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**Can somebody cry on Lyoko?**

No idea. I hope they can, 'cause otherwise the entire ending's ruined.

REVIEW!


	13. Living

**I own it not**

Odd couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and he couldn't see. He couldn't fight, even if the only thing his entire body was screaming at him was to fight. He didn't look at Ulrich. He didn't open his eyes. He wanted this to end.

He wanted to die.

He was aware of Ulrich defending him. Aware of his friend getting hit twice. Before the things started coming after him. He didn't even put up his hands.

Then everything was white.

Odd felt no pain. Did that mean he wasn't dead? Or was dying just not as painful as he'd thought? Compared to everything else he'd been through the past couple of days, anything that could lessen the pain was okay with him.

Then he started to remember...Ulrich, who had tried to save him...Yumi and Aelita, racing for the tower...Jeremy, helping out by doing everything in between.

Tears squeezed out from Odd's eyes. Could you cry when you were dead?

Then the whiteness parted. A boy was in front of him, so it couldn't have been St. Peter. It looked an awful lot like-

"Ulrich?" Odd's voice came out thin and wobbly, tears running down his cheeks. His friend pulled him into a hug, and it was only after a few minutes that Odd realized Ulrich was crying, too.

Behind Ulrich, Jeremy, Aelita, and Yumi were standing, looking happy and immensely relived. Odd smiled at them, and realized that smiling hurt.

He wished that he wouldn't hurt again.

Odd managed to get a few words out, "Xana? Lyoko?" it was the same thin, scratchy voice. Ulrich smiled a real smile, holding him at arms' length and inspecting him.

"We won." He said simply. "And we didn't have to give you up to do it."

Yumi jumped in. "We were so scared...if you'd died, returning to the past would have done no good, would it?"

Odd finally took in their surroundings. They were in his and Ulrich's room. He glanced at the clock and gave a strangled laugh. It was seven o' clock in the morning. And he wasn't dead.

And that was definitely something to be proud about. He felt like Luke Skywalker, King Arthur, and Harry Potter all rolled into one. He had won against pure evil, and he was alive.

At least for now.

* * *

Another one done! 


End file.
